Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
… in the saddle again about the progression posted as the main topic…
While strategically, you should ALWAYS approach a tree's development in a priority order that starts with:
(1) Nebari/trunk base
(2) Trunk line/taper
(3) Primary branching
(4) Secondary branching
(5) Ramification/refinement
This is a worthwhile list. Yet it seems there is more to be needed to make this a useful guide to new and intermediate hobbyists.
Drilling down deeper there are a number of actions and reasons for these actions which divert folks from the path to decent bonsai.
One psychological reason for continuing in a flawed process was mentioned, The Sunk Cost fallacy. For those not familiar with the phenomenon. It’s when a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it…. Despite it being obvious abandoning this strategy would be the best course of action.
To this replied, Sometimes going backwards is helping the tree go forward. The sole reply was sounds sorta like eliminate flaws in the order of priority… the former was a psychological counter to the sunk cost fallacy vs a process statement.
That said, what I’m more interested in is addressing the nuts and bolts and how they might pertain to the above list vis a vis new and intermediate folks.
For example (generally) identifying when in the process is it best to put a tree becoming a bonsai in:
- Bonsai media - and btw what does this look like? Size, amount of native soil removed etc.
- A “real Bonsai pot” - btw what effects do certain pots have on the tree’s ability to withstand bonsai techniques?
- when/how to deploy modified clip and grow to achieve best results
- when/how to deploy guy wires
- how to keep (or identify) a critical mass (of foliage and roots) while performing the bonsai techniques embedded in this process?
- how to balance competing goods throughout the bonsai process?
- is there ever a time when there are reasonable exceptions to the “priority order”
To name just a few.
Cheers
DSD sends
While strategically, you should ALWAYS approach a tree's development in a priority order that starts with:
(1) Nebari/trunk base
(2) Trunk line/taper
(3) Primary branching
(4) Secondary branching
(5) Ramification/refinement
This is a worthwhile list. Yet it seems there is more to be needed to make this a useful guide to new and intermediate hobbyists.
Drilling down deeper there are a number of actions and reasons for these actions which divert folks from the path to decent bonsai.
One psychological reason for continuing in a flawed process was mentioned, The Sunk Cost fallacy. For those not familiar with the phenomenon. It’s when a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it…. Despite it being obvious abandoning this strategy would be the best course of action.
To this replied, Sometimes going backwards is helping the tree go forward. The sole reply was sounds sorta like eliminate flaws in the order of priority… the former was a psychological counter to the sunk cost fallacy vs a process statement.
That said, what I’m more interested in is addressing the nuts and bolts and how they might pertain to the above list vis a vis new and intermediate folks.
For example (generally) identifying when in the process is it best to put a tree becoming a bonsai in:
- Bonsai media - and btw what does this look like? Size, amount of native soil removed etc.
- A “real Bonsai pot” - btw what effects do certain pots have on the tree’s ability to withstand bonsai techniques?
- when/how to deploy modified clip and grow to achieve best results
- when/how to deploy guy wires
- how to keep (or identify) a critical mass (of foliage and roots) while performing the bonsai techniques embedded in this process?
- how to balance competing goods throughout the bonsai process?
- is there ever a time when there are reasonable exceptions to the “priority order”
To name just a few.
Cheers
DSD sends